The five acres that make up Pershing Square are original lands of the town dating back to 1781 when Spain granted them to the City of Los Angeles. In 1866, the area was set aside as a public park known as La Plaza Abaja. In the 1870s, improvements were made to the park, including the planting of cypress and citrus trees. In the following decade, city engineer Fred Eaton created the park’s first official design. During Los Angeles’ real estate boom of 1910-11, architect John Parkinson redesigned the park in a formal Beaux-Arts style. In 1918, a week after the end of World War I, the square was renamed in honor of General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces overseas.
From the 1920s to the 1960s, Pershing Square anchored the 5th Street corridor, known as “The Run,” due to its proximity to establishments frequented by the LGBT community. Nearby bars included the If Cafe and the Open Door, the Grand Avenue bar at the Biltmore Hotel, and the Standard Hotel, in addition to Pershing Square itself.
In the following decades, several changes were made to the plaza’s design, most notably the addition of an underground parking garage in 1951. As a result, the lush landscape that had characterized the park for the last eight decades was removed. Potted trees were placed and small flower beds were installed.
With garage access ramps separating the park from its surroundings, the square gradually fell into disuse and decay during the 60s and 70s. In 1984, it was cleaned up and replanted for the Olympics, but it was almost a decade later when the square received a complete facelift as part of the plan to revive downtown L.A. This current design is a collaboration between architect Ricardo Legorretta, landscape architect Laurie Olin, and artist Barbara McCarren. The design includes several public artworks that allude to the city’s history, such as groves of orange trees, a stylized seismic fault, and a fountain inspired by the aqueducts that bring water to Los Angeles.
Besides the aforementioned historic Biltmore Hotel, the square features an ideal dining spot. Located on the rooftop of the historic 1924 Pershing Square Building, the restaurant and bar ‘The Perch‘ offers one of the best views of the city.
